Had to do mine online the day before Easter , paid $30 on line to fish in Lake Argyle for powertail & still have not seen it!!!
Probably something to do with the fact that their system does not accept 0 as the start of a postcode.......like 0850 or 0830 etc.
So I had to falsify my licence with a WA postcode so they could take my money.

Same issue with anywhere else in this country re licences. I am booked in to do one in NSW in July for the simple fact that unless you maintain speeds under 10 down there you need a licence. It used to be based on hp once upon a time. I am also anticipating that the NT will introduce licences up here in the future so I will be on the front foot when that happens with hopefully a reciprical piece of paper. Check about boat rego as well in WA. I was told I needed both a licence and rego if I take a boat to Qld.

You can drive a car all around the country on the one licence but not in a boat. Far more risk in driving cars than boats
Get a coxswain’s ticket and you can drive anywhere and you never have to renew it

If you have a coxswain ticket you still require a recreational skippers ticket in WA. I would have thought if you are on holiday for a couple of weeks in WA you would not have to licence your boat just get the skippers ticket, but with the skippers ticket you have to do a practical test if you are in WA maybe from other states you can get it online with the theory test.

he fishes he fishes he fishes its the only thing in life all he ever gets is hell from his fed up wife

NSW requires a theory and practical. About 4 hours or so. You can also complete a log book with a licenced person signing you off on the practical but the theory testing still applies. Boat rego is easy enough provided the boat has a builders plate and HIN. Our very old tinny in NSW had neither so it was a bit of an exercise to get it registered. NSW Marine branch were helpful though. NSW and Qld do not require you to be a resident to get a boat and or a PWC licence. If you have a VHF and no 'licence' you can do it online but there is still a test to be completed. The registered training org supervising the online theory will provide details of an independant invigulator to to the closed book exam. I assume they have some arrangement in the NT with someone like CDU or SMIT. I'll find that out shortly as I have just signed up to do one online.

Thanks coastaljoy. I did mine 10 years agoand that was the case then.
just checked and they confirmed what you said. it seems wrong. Its like saying a qantas pilot needs a ticket to use a cessna
sorry about giving wrong advice

You can apply for automatic endorsement through an authorised assessor if you hold:

a commercial marine qualification (not engineering); or
a current/valid boat drivers licence issued outside of Western Australia; or
one of the certificates listed below, that meets the RST requirements.

If you hold a valid/current interstate or foreign skipper's ticket, recognised by the Department and listed in the skills recognition section of this website and you enter Western Australia, as a visitor or with the intention of permanently residing in the State,

Qualifications -Skills recognition

Northern Territory of Australia Certificate of Competency as Coxswain

You still need a WA ticket but you get one automaticallly on application

There is a new national licensing system coming into effect 1 July 2013 (has been put back several times already), whilst it applies to commercial vessels and licensing, those with a commercial license (coxswain, master V, IV etc etc) will be able to operate australia wide under that license.

Certificate of Competency
Under the new Part D of the National Standards for Commercial Vessels people seeking or renewing a Certificate of Competency will be able to apply for a five year National System certificate by meeting some simple requirements.

Once issued, a Certificate of Competency will allow the holder to operate anywhere in Australian waters subject to the operational and distance limitations of the certificate. This means a person will no longer be required to seek recognition of their certificate before crossing state or territorial borders.

It will be interesting if this filters down to the recreational industry as well.

I'm stuffed.
Victroads won't renew my boat licence unless I walk into one of their office and get my photo taken. Bit hard when I'm in Darwin. Two weeks ago they would have just let me organise it over the phone and mail the new one out, but as 6 months has just elapsed since it expired I need a new photo. Total bureacracy, as I could have got a 5 year licence two weeks ago with an old photo, and now they won't even issue me with a 1 year licence! And now W.A. says because my Victorian licence is not current I will need to sit a test, including a 4 hour practical test. I ring the training centre in Kunnunnurra to do a test, and they say 'put your name on the list and when we get enough people we'll pick a date get a tester in'. Well that's not going to work as I'll just be passing through! So I speak to the W.A. authority and they say I could just 'chance it', as the fine is less than the cost of the course!!

As a matter of interest I looked into the vic situation few months back. I did have a vic licience which can be renewed up to 5 years after expiry without a test, if you go get your photo taken in vicroads. There's 2 reasons that blows my old licience out of the water. However, I think it is a more complex legal issue than the average boat liciencing officer and licience office understands. Marine safety, relevant minister or afant if the preceeding have no ability are able to do it need to get good and I stress good legal advice to the situation in each state.

There is a difference between the Recreational Skippers Ticket (RST) and the Fishing licence.
You need both legally though if you fish from a boat and others if you want to dive or use a throw net etc.
The RST usually incorporates a course, theory and practical and can cost about $250. This takes time to organsie and I am assuming your dont have relevant qualifications or licence to cover you otherwise.
The fishing licence is $30 a year and you can get online.
The is a Fisheries presence in WA but they dont regulate the RST, only the fishing licence.
Department of Transport regulate the RST and I've only been stopped once in 9 years.......
If your only here for a few weeks then they probably wont worry about the RST.........

There are new Regulations regarding fish sizes and bag limits so make sure you get the current information.

As a matter of interest I looked into the vic situation few months back. I did have a vic licience which can be renewed up to 5 years after expiry without a test, if you go get your photo taken in vicroads. There's 2 reasons that blows my old licience out of the water. 3rd is I don't live in victoria. However, I think Nt boaters interstate is a more complex legal issue than the average boat liciencing officer and licience office understands. Marine safety, relevant minister or afant if the preceeding have no ability to do it need to get good, and I stress good legal advice to the situation in each state. Briefly the issues are each state recognises other liciences, but do they recognise the nts requirement to not need a licience. There is commonwealth legislation that requires states to recognise each others laws for certain things which is why there is reconition of car liciences ,regos, etc in state legislation. Other issue is that nt doent issue liciences and normally you can't get a licience in a state you don't live in. Therefore it is impossible for you to comply with the law unless another state issues an invalid licience. Either way it could be resolved by adding an endosrement on your drivers licience for "boat" based on a simple test and or prior expierience and at no charge. Or simply set up a voluntary licience system just for this purpose so nt people aren't discriminated against for doing nothing wrong. The benefits of not having a licience and rego become a pain so as you cross the border. It could be implimented without any cost or inconvenience but that's a challenge few governments can get right.